Information & Ethics Committee on May 15th, 2008

[Prof. Michael Geist]

I just want to see it. I think it's something that could well be put into the Privacy Act. Whether it appears directly within the Privacy Act or is put into place through stand-alone legislation, either way I think it's long overdue.

[Mike Allen, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Okay. I have one last quick question. You talked about annual reports being from bygone days. And again, I have a little bit of a technology background myself. Looking at the number of information systems and everything else we have in the bureaucracy, how practical do you think that more than annual reporting is, given the resources it would take to actually do that? And when you've seen it in your experience, has it been on a risk-based type of thing or has it been a revolving process? Mechanically, how do you implement a process like that?

[Prof. Michael Geist]

I think even our federal commissioner has already identified alternative mechanisms for educating. The office now has a blog, for example. The issues I'm talking about wouldn't be raised on the blog, but it provides the opportunity to get the information out into the community and get people to start thinking about some of these issues.

I'm thinking particularly about sort of emergent or sensitive kinds of discoveries or issues that may arise, in which there is a benefit to all to ensure they are made widely available. I'm sure the annual report is well read and taken seriously. When I describe it as a bygone era, I don't mean to suggest we ought to do away with an annual report. It still provides an awful lot of very valuable information on an annual basis about the activities of that office. But when we have certain issues that simply can't wait that period of time, there are mechanisms to ensure that the public and government, at the same time, are made aware.

[Mike Allen, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Mr. Wallace.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I want to apologize to Mr. Geist. It was a tongue-in-cheek comment. It was my colloquial way. I didn't mean to offend him. It was just for fun.

[Dave Van Kesteren, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON]

He's a mean man.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

It wasn't meant to be negative in any sense. I have a lot of respect for Mr. Geist. I've seen him before--

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

He's not a chicken, and you're going to eat crow.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Yes, I'm eating crow. I apologize.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

I think this has been a very good session.

Michael, I try not to participate too much. I was really trying to keep open on this stuff. We've decided to start with a band-aid approach, and try to not mess things up while we find out how serious things are and how serious a commitment we have to make.

Are we on the right track? Should we do something like a quick fix? Do we have a big problem, or are you comfortable that even though the act hasn't been touched in 25 years, it's still meeting the public interest?

[Prof. Michael Geist]

I think because it hasn't been touched in 25 years, you're on the right track. Experience to date has left many discouraged about the prospect for broader reform, so improvements, even if incremental, are better than nothing at all. We've literally had nothing for decades.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Of course, as you know, we have the same problem with the Access to Information Act.

Thank you kindly for sharing your words of wisdom with us. You're excused.

Colleagues, when we come back on the 27th we will have the Minister of Justice and officials for the full meeting. I hope you'll have an opportunity to prepare for a rigorous meeting.

On the witness expenses, we need $18,500. I'll ask for approval of the committee to submit a request for the budget.

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Carole Lavallée, Bloc, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

What do we do about the witness list?

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

I've given you all the lists I have for your information. Speak to me if you want to have somebody urgently. We'll talk to you when we come back about who we have, and consider any further witnesses you want.

[Carole Lavallée, Bloc, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

All right. That will be in four meetings?

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

That will be in four meetings.

[Carole Lavallée, Bloc, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

In six meetings.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

We have only four remaining. We have the Minister of Justice and officials at one meeting. The Bar Association and the criminology is another meeting. We have two provinces coming, so that will be another meeting. Corrections, etc., will be the fourth.

Do you want somebody else added in there?

[Carole Lavallée, Bloc, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

No. If I want to summon someone else, I'll write to the clerk next week.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

All right.

Thank you.

The meeting is adjourned.